Pump and propulsion unit



May 21, 1957 A. L. NIELSEN 2,792,786

PUMP AND PROPULSION UNIT Filed Oct. 2'7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r WWW v i 44%? Q:

TQRNEYS May 21, 1957 A. L. NIELSEN 2,792,786

PUMP ,AND PROPULSION UNIT Filed Oct. 2v, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I TTT' 'I L lLlLh' INVENTOR. A a zw/zzspv ATTO R NEYS Unite States The present invention relates to'an attachment for "outboard motorscomprisinga centrifugal. pump adapted to be carried by the usual outboard motor. structure and" to be driven b'yth'e motor thereof.

It is an object ofthe presentinvention to provide. a pump attachment for an outboard. motor comprising" a centrifugal pump casing' adapted to be" secured directly to'the gear box of the outboard motonand an impeller in the'casing adapted to be secured directly to the propeller shaft in lieu of "the propeller.

It is a further object of. the'p resent invention to provide a centrifugal pump attachment for an outboard motor in which the centrifugal pump. operates with the axis of its impellervertical, and'irrwhich the attachment comprises a centrifugal pump casing having a'nimpeller therein, a shaftsecured to theimpeller, a shaft housing extending fi'om the pump; casing and attachable to the shaft housingof'the'toutboardmotor, the shaft of. the impeller being splined for quick attachment" to a motor driven splined'part ofithe outboardmotor;

It is a further object of'the present invention to provide a. centrifugal pump'of the character describedin which the outlet of theipump is. directed rearwardly whereby the pump may be employed in propelling the boat forwardly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the character described including a centrifugal pump having a forwardly directed intake and a rearwardly directedoutlet, the outlet preferably being disposed radially of the pump impeller.

It is a' further objectiof the present invention to provide an outboard motor in combination withia pump in which sealing means are provided preventing entry of Water into bearings provided for the support of drive means connecting the impeller to the motor;

Other objects andfeatures j of theinvention will become apparent as. the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation ofv an outboard motor provided with the improved centrifugal pump attachment.

Figure 2 is an enlarged rear view of the lower. portion of the structure with parts brokenaway.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of a second embbdirnenttof the present invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the lower portion of the structure with parts broken away.

Figure 5 is an enlarged rearelevational viewof the lower portion of the structureshownin Figure 4, with parts broken away.

Figure 6 is an enlarged side'elevational view of the lower portion ofthe structure shown in Figure 4, with parts'broken away;

Referring nowtothe drawings; in Figure'l there is illustrated an outboard motor comprising a motor housing 10, a tiller 12, a shaft housing 14, and a lower casting 16 which includes a gear box portion 18. In its use "atent O 2-. as air-outboard motor for the'propulsion of "boats, there is provideda drive" sliaft ZO' connected through suitable gearingiindicated generally at 22 to a propeller shaft 2% the propeliensh'aft extending. rearwardly from the gear box 18. In its normal use a propeller is keyed by shear pin to the propeller shaft 24.

In accordance" with the present invention the usual propeller is removed from the propeller shaft 24 and the pump structure substituted. The pump structure comprises. a casing26 o-fa centrifugal pump, the casing havingan" opening 28'thereinthrough which the rearward ly extendingportion ofthe propeller shaft 24 extends: The casing 26*is adapted to" be secured to -the casting 16 byscrewsr 301 Keyed'or otherwise secured to thepropeller shaft. 24 is' an impeller 32. The rear side of" the casing 26 is open and is" adapted to be 'clo'sed by'a plate" 34screwedor otherwise secured thereto; as indicated at36', theplate'34having-an inlet'openiiig'ZvS located axiallyiof thecasing so as to' permit watentoflow into the eye of thepump, The centrifugal pump casing'ZRr is shaped to provide an outlet 40which as illustrated in' Figure 2,. may, be" directedupwardly. Pieferably, the" outlet 40" will be suitably shaped for couplin'gtdahose 40"or"the lil 'e; but this" coupling may b'e'of any conventional'type.

Iinpelle'rSZ isprovided with mildlycu'rved; generally radial blades 32 of solid cross section, the liquid pumped being handledexclusively between successive blades and the casing surfaces to" which the blade side edges are exposed. Thusthe possihilit'y of clogging or partialclo'ggiiig"by;coarsejobjects in'theliquid; orjby accumulation offiner particlesinrestricted zones, is'fminimized.

It will be appreciated that the substitution of the'casing andimpeller for-the usual propeller does not in any way interferewith the normalru'nning of the outboard motorwithin theniotor'housing 10, this motor being cooled in the u'sualfashion" by water drawn inthrough the usual inlet. H

Referring now -toFigures 4"-6thereis illustrated a second embodiment of the present invention; In this: case the pumpattachtnent comprises a' centrifugal pump casing50fhaving'therein an impeller 52. In this case the centrifugal pump is adapted to operate with its axis vertical'and thelowefsid of thepump casing 50 is" open and isadaptedto becl'osed by a plate 54 havingya downwardly and forwardly curved inlet portion 56 opening into the eye of the pump. As best'seen in Figure 5, the pump casingsthis shaped toprovide anoutlet 58 which in operation is located to extend rearwardlyand opposite to the inl'efopening 56. Preferably/,- the" outlet 58is curvedso that it" is"directedradiallyoutwardly from theax'ispf theimpeller.

With the parts arranged as just described, the ceritrifugal pump constitutes a" propelling. m'echanismby means of which-it is'possibleto' propel the-boat at very low'speeds' without danger'of stalling the motor.

Rigidl'y secured to the pump casing. Stl'is a tubular housing 60 having shaft bearings 62' and 64 therein adapted to support a shaftmember' 66', the lower end of which extends through" suitable sealing'means indicated generally"a'r68; intothe interior of the-tubular housing 60, and'isthere secured imdrivingrelation to the inipeller 52E Thetubular housing 6tlin'cludes an exhaust portion 70? In this case; cooling of-the' motor maycon' veniently be accompli'shedby using the pump, and for thispurpose'a tube 7i may be connected "thereto for lead ingco'oling'water to the motor:

Ontb'oard motors in general includes a vertical drive shaft intermediate the-motor and the gear box which is splined at its-upperend toacorr'espo'ndingly splined-motor drive element and which is splined at its lower end for connection with a splined gear in the gear box. In the weaves present case the shaft 66 is adapted to replace the usual vertical drive shaft of the outboard motor and for this purpose its upper end, which extends beyond the tubular housing 60, is splined so that it may slip into engagement with the splined motor driven element when the tubular housing 60 is bolted or otherwise secured in place against the lower end of a shaft housing member 72 which is a part of the usual outboard motor.

Thus, in both cases the centrifugal pump may be connected for actuation by the motor of an outboard motor by the simple process for removing a portion of the outboard motor propulsive mechanism and substituting the centrifugal pump therefor.

It has been found that centrifugal pumps designed to be associated with outboard motors have a surprisingly large capacity and develop surprisingly great pressure. The new combination of outboard motor with a centrifugal pump unit substituted for the propeller thereof, or for the propeller and a part of the transmission mechanism thereof, is highly useful. Thus, for example, in resort areas the outboard motor can be used to pump water for irrigation or other purposes. In many cases, resorts or other property contiguous to water suitable for boating, are nevertheless subject to water shortages. By employing the centrifugal pump in combination with the outboard motor, it is a simple matter to irrigate such property by the always available supply of water.

Preferably, the impeller is designed with substantial clearances within the casing so that the pump may be employed for pumping water which may include sand or small particles of gravel without injury to the pump.

The pump attachment for the outboard motor may be adapted for connection to a water system and will be available to supply water in case of fire at resorts where the supply of water under pressure is not ordinarily avail able.

Another valuable use for the pump would be as a bilge pump. Thus for example, on boats sufficiently large to carry auxiliary small craft the outboard for the small craft may be used as an eflicient bilge pump to discharge water from the bilge from the larger vessel.

The present pump structure in characterized by its extreme simplicity, the economy with which it may be produced, and the ease and facility with which it may be combined with the outboard motor. This last factor makes it possible to convert the outboard motor from its ordinary purpose to a pump in a minimum of time and of course, likewise permits reconverting the outboard to its usual function in a correspondingly small time and with a minimum of effort.

It will be noted that in the structure illustrated in Figure 1, the centrifugal pump is substituted essentially for the propeller of the outboard motor so that the usual seals which prevent entrance of water to the bearings, etc., remain effective when the outboard motor is converted to a pump.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved pump and propulsion unit in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An attachment for an outboard motor of the type comprising a motor having a drive shaft extending downwardly through a shaft housing and into a gear box at the lower end of said housing, and a propeller shaft extending rearwardly through an opening in said gear box, said attachment comprising a centrifugal pump casing having coaxial shaft receiving and intake openings, a centrifugal impeller in said casing, said impeller having generally radial blades defining therebetween liquid accommodating pumping spaces which are laterally exposed to opposed surfaces of said casing, and means mounting said pump casing directly on said gear box in a zone surrounding said opening in the latter, with said impeller secured on said shaft and with said intake and shaft openings in axial alignment with said gear box opening, said mounting means including means to insure the locating of said casing on said gear box in said aligned relation of said openings.

2. An attachment for an outboard motor of the type comprising a motor having a drive shaft extending downwardly through a shaft housing and into a gear box at the lower end of said housing, and a propeller shaft extending rearwardly through an opening in said gear box, said attachment comprising a centrifugal pump casing having coaxial shaft receiving and intake openings, a centrifugal impeller in said casing, said impeller having generally radial blades defining therebetween liquid accommodating pumping spaces which are laterally exposed to opposed surfaces of said casing, and means mounting said pump casing directly on said gear box in a zone surrounding said opening in the latter, with said impeller secured on said shaft and with said intake and shaft openings in axial alignment with said gear box opening, said mounting including a plurality of screws extending through a wall of said pump casing and into said gear box in a piloted zone.

3. An attachment for an outboard motor of the type comprising a motor having a drive shaft extending downwardly through a shaft housing and into a gear box at the lower end of said housing, and a propeller shaft extending rearwardly through an opening in said gear box, said attachment comprising a centrifugal pump casing having coaxial shaft receiving and intake openings, a centrifugal impeller in said casing, said impeller having generally radial blades defining therebetween liquid accommodating pumping spaces which are laterally exposed to opposed surfaces of said casing, and means mounting said pump casing directly on said gear box in a zone surrounding said opening in the latter, with said impeller secured on said shaft and with said intake and shaft openings in axial alignment with said gear box opening.

4. An attachment for an outboard motor of the type comprising a motor having a drive shaft extending downwardly through a shaft housing and into a gear box at the lower end of said housing, and a propeller shaft extending rearwardly through an opening in said gear box, said attachment comprising a centrifugal pump casing having coaxial shaft receiving and intake openings, a centrifugal impeller in said casing, said impeller having generally radial blades defining therebetween liquid accomrnodating pumping spaces which are laterally exposed to opposed surfaces of said casing, and means mounting said pump casing directly on said gear box with said impeller secured on said shaft and with said intake and shaft openings in axial alignment with said gear box opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 21,825 Eaton Oct. 19, 1858 141,039 Dow July 22, 1873 1,141,556 Krogh June 1, 1915 1,197,181 Buck Sept. 5, 1916 1,454,180 Motte May 8, 1923 1,528,449 Meyer Mar. 3, 1925 1,663,253 Hillborn Mar. 20, 1928 2,233,231 Vincent Feb. 25, 1941 2,504,140 Mill Apr. 18, 1950 2,610,602 Schenavar Sept. 16, 1952 2,684,635 Winkelman et al July 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 106,524 Sweden Feb. 9, 1943 631,037 France Dec. 13, 1927 812,914 France May 20, 1937 

